Simon268

Learning something new every day! :-O :-O :-D I dont have a camera adapter, but it seems to be a good idea to have one anyway (i miss some connectivity on my iPad). After thinking a little bit about it, it might be the best way for me not to waste precious 'inputs' (returns, Aux, ....) and blocks on my Helix just for inserting signals that i dont want to process or handle differently for different presets after all. First: At a lot of my gigs i feed those signals seperately to the mixing console anyway, so the engineer can mix them seperately ... Second: Even if i want to merge all together into a single (stereo or mono) signal small mixers are cheap, easy to use and very flexible. Thank you very much for letting me dive deeper into the Helix. ... you have inspired me a lot!! Simon

Oh ... that's a really good idea. Never thought of that. Will try it. BUT: i already use the Returns for adding external signals: - iPad (Stereo) and - one Samplepad with Kickdrum. Both are last in the signal path because i don't want any effects in them. For the Kickdrum mono really would be sufficient - BUT if i only inser return 3 there, all my effects would collapse to mono, right? Maybe you have a better solution for that too? Bye Simon

Hi i connected two signals to inputs "guitar" and "aux", adjusted the levels with gain blocks and then wanted to have a smoot transition of the two signals (into the same signal chain in path 1A) by using a merge block that i assigned to EXP2 (Level A [-60dB] -> [0dB] and Level B [0 dB] -> [-60dB])-. Unfortunately the volume drops a lot between the two 'extremes' and i suspect that the 'curve' (logarithmic, linear, ...) doesn't fit for this purpose. Can you give me any advice on how to achieve that the level is the same regardless of the pedal position? Simon

Hi, in the video of Jason Sadites about Gain Reduction Meters it is not too hard to see:

That reminds me of another story: There was a lumberjack who was so well trained that he could cut trees by juggling with three chainsaws. Everybody was impressed - but since it took him double the time to cut a tree than all the others (and he used a lot more bandages) he ended up being unemployed. ;-)

I'm somewhat on the 'Humbug-Side' ... ;-) Maybe my ears are underdelevoped, but i am more than satisfied (better: overwhelmed) by the number of models ... i don't really hear the difference between 50 Overdrives and most of the amps are pretty flexible in creating a lot of tones....esp. by adding arbitrary combinations of them and cabs and IRs and .... I don't see serious 'gaps' in the spectrum of possible sounds and can't imagine some overdrives or amps (modelled after real ones) bringing completely new sounds and flavours to the device. Just even more scrolling to do .... ;-)

:-D :-D :-D Must be the Illuminati behind this 'meter conspiracy' - just to keep '...some..' from getting that one crucial feature that '...they...' cannot live without .... BTW if it's really '....the masses...' that wanted this - what's wrong with it? Better keep the majority unsatisfied and add some exotic features for some few? (and how do you know that '....some...' are one of them?)

How funny .... Now that meters are announced: Why is there any reason to debate about them? Some want to use them - and now they can. Other don't want to use them - and still aren't forced to. How is that discussion still a thing?

Hi, now THAT's an understandable reason! :-D I don't know, why it took so much '...but i don't need them...'-posts to get there but maybe "Gut Ding will haben Weile". ;-) Thanks.

Ah thanks, maybe not a widespread argument (since i don't see much other audio equipment without level meters), but at least an argument. Sorry, if i offended anyone. Maybe because i'm no native english speaker i miss the subtleties ... may you explain to me, what was inappropriate? Ah - THAT would be an argument, i could comprehend. What a funny self contradiction! :-D What would YOU do with MY answer to YOUR question? How exactly would finding out the "why" would change anything? Solve the puzzle and you have my answer. ;-) Hint: starts with 'c' and ends with 'y'. :-D :-D

I still didn't found an answer to the question of this thread: ' Why no level meters anywhere? ' The closest to an answer was 'I have a way of getting around without' (what is more of an answer to the question 'Why did you personally work with a tool that has no meters?' ;-) ). I assume that nobody knows why there are no level meters. Bye Simon

OH YES!!! THAT would be really great (and i don't see any problems with implementing them). I miss that feature on a regular basis for: - Sometimes in live situations i get a weak output signal (or non at all) from the Helix ... and it would be a much simpler and faster way to finding the cause. - esp. checking my guitar output level - since the output of my active pickups tend to 'fade' (one guitar) oder just 'black out' completely (my other) when the batteries dicharge. - Level management via different presets - esp. with purchased/downloaded presets; it's just annoying to step through a sophisticated preset (from someone else and a lot of snapshots) on the search of the ear blasting volume setting.... And as coda mentioned: It seems so unneccessary to leave them out. Bye Simon

Hmmm As a programmer myself i am not at all calmed down by the explanation of corrupt presets. User data (as presets are) should NEVER disturb system integrity (starting with UI up until crashing the whole system). ....it even shouldnt effect other user data (other presets). E.g. your PC shouldnt crash because of orthographic errors in a single word document.

DAMNN!!! That looks really f...-ed up. :-O :-O :-O I have no idea what the cause might be. I think you should contact line6 support. Wishing you good luck!!

My point is not so much respect (or the lack thereof) but that the level relations typically serve a distinct purpose (the soft swell whispers, the rhythm punches, ....). And that is worth preserving.

I surely hope so!!! ;-) If an author does ANYTHING in his preset unintenionally, i wouldn't be a customer for too long. :-D :-D :-D What to you think about my approach: To add a fixed gain block directly before the output block. ? It should conserve the author intended level relations between the snapshots ... or am i missing something? (needs very few DSP and should fit in every preset ... maybe after a little block shifting) I thought a lot about why this even is a topic for me now on the Helix and never before. And I think the reason is that it is my first unit with analog (= not part of the preset) volume knob (in combination with no output level meter). There are many approaches on how to set the button (12 o'clock, 10 o'clock, max, ...) - all working fine for the resp. preset author, but a difficult for someone who uses presets with different 'volume knob philosophies. Bye Simon

'You dont know how lucky you are, Boys!' ;-) i had a tc electronics g system for a couple of years and THAT was digital guirks HELL. Every preset backup was a 50/50 gamble of getting your presets scrambled (on the device!! And the backup files) .... from being deleted up to just lost/altered a few settings/parameters of a few presets. ;-)

@codamedia Maybe it's hard to believe, but i really didn't. :-) i was always a multieffects guy and since my first steps in 1989 the Helix is my fourth device and the first one without (what i call) a simple way of leveling presets....even the first one without a level meter. But our main difference seems to be that we are talking about two very different scenarios: - You are talking about building a preset on your own, adding one block after the other, routing paths, fiddeling parameters, customizing snapshots,... - i am on the other hand talk about buying 12 presets from 5 different sources, all with different (but very sophisticated) philosophies about how to build presets (incl. Routing, snapshot design, .... and levelling!!). All those presets sound awesome ..... as long as i keep my fat fingers from the parameters. :-) You explained very well why you don't need 'a simple way' (or how your way is simple) in your scenario. But it doesn't apply to mine. bye Simon

Hmmm i thought the '...Filter > Asheville Pattrn (Mono, Stereo), based on* the Moog® Moogerfooger® MF-105M MIDI MuRF Filter (with both MuRF and Bass MuRF voicings...' would be for that.... I didn't have the time to try it yet but the MF-105 videos show that effect. (and the triggering LFO cant be the problem because every phaser does essentially the same thing) bye Simon

Hi i think that you (and some others) have lost track of the arguments: 'i have problems after upgrading 2.6 -> 2.81' 'maybe you should try upgrading 2.6 -> 2.71 -> 2.81' 'but i read about a lot of problems with upgrading to 2.81' 'yes, but many people are having no problems with upgrading 2.71 -> 2.81 and those who have mostley didn't follow the instructions properly' So i would strongly suggest that you upgrade via 2.71, - i dont think it is unlikely that skipping one version is not as well implemented/tested by line6 and therefore error prone, - And since you are - as you state - very thorough with the upgrade process, you are very likely to not run into (the) problems (the other ran into). :-) What do you have to lose - except for a little time? bye and good luck Simon p.s Some problems have been reported with version 2.80 that are fixed in 2.81 and some are reported with 2.81 - but they are way fewer and minor. And i bet 2.60 and 2.71 aren't 100% bug free ;-)

I have this problem mainly with imported presets .... and usually they come with that... And THAT is exactly what i call 'not simple' ;-) ... esp for presets that are created by somebody else, where i have to work through 10 blocks over 8 Snapshots and readjust the levels... Compare that with one turn on the volume knob (or one gain block at the end of the chain) and i think it's clear what i mean.

Thanks for the advice. The output block was always my first approach- But (if i recall correctly) in a lot of cases the output block was also part of the individual snapshots (exactly how you suggested to compensate different gain levels). So you have to adjust it for every snapshot individually ... and risk to lose the original volume relations between the snapshots. :-( So e.g. a 'attenuate/push proportional over all snapshots' feature would be nice. And THAT's what the Volume knob does .... unfortunately not saveable :-D. On the other hand that might be a solution: A gain block (not 'snapshotified') directly before the output block .... that should do the trick, doesn't it? Bye Simon

Hi, i am also having problems with handling consistent levels over different presets. And although i won't deny the effects of perceived loudness, EQing, Fletcher/Munson, .... i dont think they are the main reason for one preset being hardly audible and the next blasting your brains out of your ears. And THAT is what i experience (esp. with imported presets). I don't mind a metal preset being more gritty and powerful and the clean ambience preset being more constraint. But when one Pink Floyd preset lets you turn the volume knob to 2 o'clock and the next one to 10 - and NOT having a simple way to fix that - is just weird. And I don't consider going through a 3 parameters of 3 Blocks over 9 Snapshots 'simple'. I really love the Helix and i can live with that oddity - but i can't understand when people are just denying it (and declare it a user error). Bye Simon P.S.: Not that i want to go back, but with the tc electronics g system i never had (nor heard of) similar problems. ;-) P.P.S: Thank God for the volume knob at least ... it would have been far worse if one would have to go through menus for that.

Maybe it would help if you uploaded the preset? That could stop the 'What is this? How is that parameter? ..."-game.... ;-) ... and whoever wants to help you could experience it by himself and working on (and verifiying) a solution on his own.

Aha!! Thanks. So i am NOT blind ... good to know! :-D Unfortunately i doesn't have my Helix at hand at the moment and just would've wanted a quick first impression of what it sounds like - and also you MADE the samples for that: So i think they would transfer the idea better than me fiddeling something i don't really understand. ;-)